Christian 


Congregation. 


THE BOARD OF FOREIGN MISSIONS 


OF THE GENERAL SYNOD OF THE 
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 
IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 


21 W. SARATOGA STREET, BALTIMORE, MD 


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“THE NEED OF OUR CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS 
IN THE VILLAGE CONGREGATIONS.” 


REV. M. EDWIN THOMAS. 


A VILLAGE SCHOOL 


Education is vital to the development of any 
people and the upbuilding of an intelligent 
church. This is recognized by all of our Mis- 
sionaries. As the little red schoolhouse stood 
by the side of the church on the hill in days of 
our fathers, so in lands where the Gospel light 
is beginning to shine evangelization and educa- 
tion stand side by side. In fact, so closely united 
are they that they are rightly regarded as only 
two parts of one work. Christianity and civili- 
zation—the two go hand in hand, and it is diffi- 
cult to find the one without the other, and each 
acts and reacts on the other. 

Every missionary realizes the need of a good. 
school if a Christian congregation is to be active 
and become permanent. Wherever possible,.-we. 
have opened schools. In the-950. villages in: 
which Christian work is being carried on there 
are 350 schools. - ey ae 


3 


The accompanying chart indicates how many 
children are taking advantage of them. The 
diagram which follows shows how very ele- 
mentary the work is. 


1915-1916 Enrollment 9266 


IV uu | ! PRIMER 


It also shows the great weakness of our vil- 
lage schools as a means to congregational de- 
velopment. The children cannot be kept in 
school long enough to be greatly benefited by 
the instruction given. Out of 9266 pupils, only 
35 are in the fourth grade, or have reached the 
place where education will be of any great per- 
manent benefit to them. 

There are several reasons for this state of 
things: 


].—The abject poverty of the people who make 
up the bulk of the Christian population. In In- 
dia, vhere the breadwinner earns on an aver- 
age eight cents per day, it.is not to be expected 
that a large family can exist, much less live, on 
such a wage. The result is that the mother and 
children must join and assist the father in keep- 
ing the wolf from the door. The reason for our 
having such a large number in our primer class 
is that these are too young to work, and sending 
them to school relieves the parents or older 
sisters or brothers from looking after them. 

I].—Gross ignorance. 

For almost endless generations the people 
have been without a single opportunity to secure 
an education. When they find that the Mission 
is establishing schools, long petitions with many 
signatures are brought, begging for one. Many 
promises are made if the children are only given 
an opportunity to learn. 

For a year or so after the petition has been 
heard and a school granted the children are sent 
most faithfully. During the second year the in- 
terest on the part of the parents grows less, 
and when the third year rolls ’round the desire 
for a school has practically died out. 

The parents thought it would be a fine chance 
to have educated children, but when they found 
it took so much of their time, and that they 
learned so slowly, they said, “What is the use? 
They are too stupid to learn. Our fathers got 
through this world without an education, and 
our children can do the same.” Thus their 
ignorance leads to indifference, from which 
it is most difficult to arouse them. 

IlJ].—Another cause for a lack of proper in- 
terest being taken in education is our failure to 
make it attractive and practical. To meet with 
success the school must be so inviting that it 
will overcome the two negative influences men- 
tioned above. 

For years we have seriously faced the situa- 


3) 


tion, and have had to be content. with the feeling 
that a poor school is better than none. To a 
great extent, our partial failure is due to the 
limited resources we have had at our command. 
Money will not buy happiness nor satisfy the 
longings of the human heart, but money will 
make possible buildings and equipment which 
will go a long way in keeping in school children 
who have once formed the habit of going. 

In connection with our Reformation Diamond 


AN EXAMINATION UNDER THE TREES 


Jubilee Advance we are asking for $20,000 to 
improve our village schools. This, to a large ex- 
tent, is needed to supply buildings. More than 
one-third of the schools now established do not 
have houses in which to meet. The schools 
must be held under a tree or by the side of one 
of the huts in which the people live. When the 
weather is disagreeable, as is the case in the wet 
and hot seasons, no school can be held. These 
long vacations are enough to discourage both 
parents and pupils. 

Then appliances, too, are needed. Each pupil 
who is too poor to purchase books and Slates 


6 


should have them supplied at Mission expense. 
Good prizes should be given for satisfactory 
work and attendance. This would keep up the 
interest and attendance. Furthermore, when- 
ever practicable the children who are greatly 
underfed should be supplied with a lunch. Ob- 
jections might be raised to this method, as some 
of the children would only come to be fed. Asa 
Church seeking for leaders for our congrega- 
tions we should not stumble at this as long as 
the classwork is up to the standard. Moreover, 
it is almost an impossible task to fill a child’s 
head while it possesses an empty stomach. 

To get these needs before the Church in a 
practical way the following amounts are being 
asked for the various charges or fields in our 
Mission. If we secure this amount, a great im- 
provement will follow, and our Christian con- 
gregations will be helped in many wavs: 


{ 


WV ATIUEISOINCLA showy cok ats. ws ines Reena s $1,000 
Mar kapiram: << sc. so gece cierecs 2,000 
INafasavavupeCtinss ss ewes 2000 
RREDAMU ote ear eer aie) tise aves he, OOO 
COUEU hate creremann: © Pernet caters 2,000 
Sattenapalle.... Weiss don Gee TCG OO) 
ML Gilatienceycs in caeeree ees ihe © acct cee ee SOU) 
WS PAL liter oe soca oe ie och eo oe 3,000 
Paimadey ct aa are tacks wen ere tes 3,000 

$20,000 


An individual Church can assume the task of 
supplying a whole field or part of one, accord- 
ing to its desire or ability. Am individual can 
improve one or more schools at $60.00 each. 

Among all the needs there is none greater or 
more fundamental. 


A CONGREGATIONAL SCHOOL 


